TOKYO, April 17, 2017 - Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6503) announced today the completion of a new elevator test tower at Mitsubishi Elevator Asia Co., Ltd. (AMEC), which produces elevators and escalators for markets outside Japan. The tower will be operable from June. AMEC, which established an R&D center in 2015 and a new factory last year, will use the new tower for enhanced testing and evaluation functions that are expected to accelerate local product development.

New test tower

Overview of New Test Tower (and Factory)

  New Test Tower New Factory
Name Kiang Fah("to the sky" in Thai) -
Building area 287m2 (floor area: 3,182m2) 4,800m2 (floor area: 14,400m2)
Structure Steel; 68.3 meters high
(equivalent to 15-story building)		 Steel; three stories
Purpose Development, designing and evaluation of elevator equipment Manufacturing of elevator equipment (control equipment, etc.)
Operation June 2017 May 2016
Investment 710 million THB (2.2 billion yen)

AMEC plays a central role in Mitsubishi Electric's manufacture of elevators and escalators for markets outside Japan. To meet growing demand and respond to requirements in specific markets with tailored product features and designs, AMEC upgraded its development and engineering capabilities by establishing an R&D center in October 2015, and expanded its production capacity by 50 percent to 20,000 units by opening a new factory in May 2016.

The company decided to build a taller test tower to evaluate medium- and high-speed models in response to the recent trend of higher buildings, and to develop specialized models for the expanding renewals market. The new tower extends the range of products that can be verified, including high-speed models. By strengthening local-development capabilities, AMEC expects to reduce costs and lead times.

Note that the releases are accurate at the time of publication but may be subject to change without notice.